The Guardian, one of Britain's leading newspapers, fired its cartoonist of 42 years, Steve Bell, because of a cartoon he drew of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Steve Bell is a British illustrator, cartoonist, and author. Bell is known for his drawings, especially those related to politics and current events. Born in 1951, Steve Bell began his artistic career in the mid-1970s. He has worked for many different publications but is best known for his illustrations for The Guardian newspaper. He became famous for his comic strip "If..." and his political cartoons, which were published in The Guardian for years.
Steve Bell is known as a critical observer of British politics and society. His drawings often satirize political figures and events and use a humorous style. He also makes drawings that sometimes contain harsh and sharp political criticism.
Steven William Maclean Bell (born 26 February 1951) is an English political cartoonist, whose work has appeared in a number of publications, notably The Guardian since 1981. He is known for his left-wing views. Bell was fired from The Guardian in 2023, after drawing a caricature of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during the Hamas-Israel war.
Steve Bell is an illustrator with a long career and his work has formed an important part of political debate in the UK. His drawings are considered an important example of political humor.
WHY WAS STEVE BELL FIRED FROM THE GUARDIAN?
British newspaper The Guardian fired Steve Bell, whose caricatures it had been publishing for 42 years, because of his drawing of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Bell, the newspaper management informed him by phone that the cartoon would not be published. Claiming that the cartoon was reminiscent of the "half a pound of meat" line of the "usurer Jew" Shylock character in William Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of Venice", the newspaper management stated that they would not renew Bell's contract because the work was deemed "anti-Semitic".